Non-Drug Treatments For Dementia
.
Alzheimer's Donation
Donate Online Now
.

Memory training and other non-drug treatments may one day help older adults ward off declines in mental function, according to researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

The authors say that matching cognitive training with an individual's risk factor profile is an intriguing possibility. For example, training that focuses on memory may be best for those at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

"These studies illustrate the promise of non-drug treatments," said Shumaker. "The medications available today produce only low to moderate improvements in mental function. And they can have adverse side effects. Showing that cognitive training can protect mental function means that individuals who cannot tolerate existing drugs would have additional treatment options." "Once they are standardized and developed for mass markets, cognitive training programs might be available to seniors through churches, schools and senior centers," said Shumaker. "Importantly, cognitive training programs may give individuals a greater sense of control over the disturbing prospect of cognitive decline and have a beneficial effect on their quality of life," says the editorial.